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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29377218">As The Dust Settles</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainCricket/pseuds/CaptainCricket'>CaptainCricket</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Old Guard (Movie 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Injury, Canon Compliant, Graphic Description, Hurt Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Immortal Husbands Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, M/M, Missing Scene, POV Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Protective Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:29:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>888</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29377218</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainCricket/pseuds/CaptainCricket</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Let me get this blood off you my love. Your hair is hideous in red."</p><p>Aftermath of the fight with Keane at Merrick. Nicky's experience healing from being shot in the head and Joe being by his side, like always, when he wakes.</p><p>--<br/>(There is some graphic descriptions in this but I tried to not be too gruesome. However this fic is about recovering from a gunshot wound to the brain so if that makes you uncomfortable please do not read)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>115</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>As The Dust Settles</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>Pain</em>.<br/>
The first thing Nicolò feels as he regains consciousness is the searing, aching pain of his skull and brain repairing itself.<br/>
He cannot see yet. The world is dark and quiet, but Nicolò knows he is awake. He senses a presence hovering above him. He knows this person. This person is safe. This person would never hurt him, not anymore.<br/>
What might be milliseconds feels like an hour, but Nicky feels his lungs fill with air as he sucks in a shallow breathe. The air tastes strange and metallic. He pulls in another, deeper, breath and feels his body be briefly pulled up with it. Slowly the darkness clears and he can make out the person crouched above his head.<br/>
Joe's earnest eyes were staring back down at him. They were sparkling with unshed tears. Nicky wanted to reach up and hold his face but his arms felt like lead. His whole body was heavy and aching.<br/>
Coming back to life was never easy and always painful, no matter how many times it happens. Nicky remembers an early death where his guts were spilled across the desert and he was missing a hand. The agony of regrowing a limb was nothing compared to feeding his insides back into their place. No way of dying was without a painful resurrection. Nicky has died almost every way imaginable and still he could not become accustomed to the pain.<br/>
But Joe was there. He was always there when Nicky awoke, as if he was an angel sent to protect him and give him the strength to carry on. Joe is the beacon in the dark, the winds in the sails, the peak of blue sky amongst the dark clouds. He is the hope and promise that keeps Nicolò dì Genova alive in more ways than one.<br/>
Nicky pushed past the weight in his arms to reach up to his lover as Joe simultaneously reached down to him. The pain in his head was lessening, but it was still sharp. Nicky knew a head wound like this would leave him with a migraine. He may heal, but until he has a decent meal and rest he would not feel well.<br/>
Joe's thumb was stroking the inside of Nicky's arm. They had to move. Andy was in danger and they had to stop Merrick. Had Nicky been a more selfish man he would stay even for a minute longer until his head was complete, but they couldn't afford that right now.<br/>
He stole one last look into Joe's soulful eyes before announcing this. He could feel Joe's hold on his arm tighten by a fraction as Nicky rolled over to reach for a gun. It took a second for him to realise how bad the mess at the back of his head might look, but Joe has seen worse over the years.<br/>
It was a struggle to stand at first. His balance wasn't quite back yet and he felt himself tilt dangerously. He stumbled across the room towards a door as Joe scrambled to grab a weapon.<br/>
The floor seemed very close all of a sudden.<br/>
"Hey," Joe was at his side with a strong hand on his elbow. Nicky had to lean against the wall to stop himself from falling. His vision was swimming. Everything was moving, even the chunks of concrete on the ground. Nicky felt sick.<br/>
"We have to go, Andy needs us," was all he could choke out before emptying his stomach - what little was in there. Joe was rubbing his shoulders as he coughed and dry heaved.<br/>
"Breathe hayatī. I'm sorry I have no water to give you, but we will find some. There's usually water bottles or vending machines in places like these"<br/>
Nicky shook his head. "There isn't time. We must-" he heaved again. The effects of being shot in the head always lasted longer than any of them would like. <em>It would be over soon</em>, Nicky reminded himself, <em>then all would be left is the headache.</em><br/>
He glanced up and saw Joe alert and looking around the room. Nicky straightened somewhat and readied his gun, but Joe had wondered over to the corner of the room. He retrieved a small towel from a rack and inspected a bottle of liquid. Nicky watched curiously as Joe wet the towel with the liquid then returned to Nicky's side.<br/>
"Let me get this blood off you my love. Your hair is hideous in red."<br/>
Nicky chuckled at that and let his husband clean him up. They were low on time but he needed to let his body heal more. He relaxed into Joe's scrubbing, rough as it was, and listened to the little huffs and ticks he made as he pulled fractured pieces of skull from Nicky's hair.<br/>
"I'm afraid you'll have to be a redhead from now on babe. No more golden blonde locks." Joe sighed as he threw the now bloody rag to the floor.<br/>
"My hair was never gold Yusuf," Nicky smiled at him, watching for the dimples under Joe's beard as he grinned back. Nicky reached out with his free hand to tangle his fingers with Joe's. He felt less dizzy now as he let the love of his life lead the way back to the fight. They had to protect Andy now. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The red hair bit is kiiiiiind of a stab at how Nicky is actually ginger in the comics. I think we might have been robbed of that but I honestly could not imagine Luca  Marinelli with red hair. I also noticed that when Nicky helps Nile out of the car at the end it looks like some of the blood was washed out of his hair and of course i headcanon Joe to have, at some point, must have tried to clean him up.</p><p>Anyway thank you for reading, please tell me what you think. This is my first time writing for this fandom, and the first thing I have written in a while. I appreciate it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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